As most Americans prepare to set their clocks forward this weekend for daylight saving time, many wonder about the origins of this practice that has been in place for over a century. The idea of moving the clock forward in the spring and then back in the fall was initially proposed by George Vernon Hudson in New Zealand in the 1890s. British home builder William Willett also advocated for this change in the early 1900s but it wasn’t until World War I that Germany implemented daylight saving time with the hope of saving energy, and other countries, including the United States, followed suit.
Today, about 70 countries around the world observe daylight saving time, allowing people to enjoy more sunlight in the evenings as the days warm into summer. While there has been debate over the practice, it is believed to encourage outdoor activities and time spent with family. Yet, inconsistency and confusion have arisen over the years, leading to Congress passing the Uniform Time Act in 1966 to standardize the start and end dates of daylight saving time across the country.
The debate continues on whether to keep changing the clocks twice a year or stick to either standard time or daylight saving time all year. While the practice has its drawbacks, such as grumblings and confusion, early adopters like Thunder Bay in Canada have seen the benefits of daylight saving time, providing residents with long, warm days to enjoy in the summer. Despite the challenges, many people appreciate the extra sunlight and time spent outdoors that daylight saving time brings.
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